Month: October 2019

October 28, 2019 at 07:00PM by CWC Whenever my period is about to start, my gut recognizes its imminent presence well before I do. TMI, but everything (and I mean everything) I eat causes my stomach to throw a hissy fit. While the regularly-scheduled ordeal still makes me want to shake my fists at the sky and yell “Whyyyy???”, I now know that my hormones are to blame for less-than-cute period poops. At a panel for the launch of The Better Period Food Solution, written by Tracy Lockwood Beckerman, RD, a panel of menstruation experts talked all things cramps, PMS, and more. The topic of digestion came up and Alyssa Dweck, MD, explained why your GI tract might turn against you in the days leading up to your cycle. “Right before your period, there’s a massive nosedive of estrogen and progesterone,” she said. (These two hormones are the main drivers of your menstrual cycle.) “Progesterone alters the motility of your intestines.” In non-doctor speak: Changes in progesterone levels can affect how well things move through your bowels. Specifically, the drop in progesterone right before your period can cause constipation, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. (Um, thanks a lot for abandoning me in my time of need, progesterone.) Ta-da: These are the best foods for easing period cramps: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRT2deFsRz8] Normally, I would say that knowledge is power. Unfortunately, while it’s frustrating to feel a lack of (bowel) control, Dr. Dweck says there’s not much you can do about it beyond taking extra care

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October 28, 2019 at 06:00PM by CWC When your digestive tract isn’t working at its optimum level, it’s likely everything will feel a bit…off. For many, that’s putting it mildly: Certain gut-health issues can interfere with daily living, in terms of both physical and mental-health-related effects. (Research supports a relationship between feeling depressed and suffering from irritable bowel syndrome.) To be sure, gut health is a complicated matter, and pinpointing what exactly may be causing distress in your body can require some detective work. But, a recent study offers some advice from which everyone can benefit. The study, published in the journal Gastroenterology, found that adding a serving of whole fruit and cereal grains to your diet each day can help reduce the disk of diverticulitis, which is a common inflammatory bowel condition that’s often connected to a lower-fiber, highly processed diet. The study’s big takeaway? Many Americans aren’t getting enough fiber, and that can lead to serious problems for your gut. But fiber from fruit can help. The actionable takeaway seems simple—eat fruit and grains—but it seems we do, indeed, need the reminder. Research shows a whopping 95 percent of Americans don’t get the recommended amount of fiber in their diet, which, per the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, is between 21 and 38 grams per day, depending on gender and age. “Low-fiber diets reduce the volume and water content of the stool. This predisposes to constipation that in turn increases pressure within the colon that can weaken the

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October 28, 2019 at 05:47PM by CWC You know those days where you run your fingers through your hair only to think it’s not hair but… straw? We’ve all been there—and those dry, damaged hair days are popping up even more now that the temperatures are dipping. Hence why I, for one, have been hitting up my trusty supply of hair masks for some TLC. Letting a nourishing mask melt into your strands always seems to do the trick, taking your hair from parched and frazzled to soft, bouncy, and full of life in a matter of minutes. But what if I told you that adding another quickie step into your hair masking routine could give you even better results? Using a hair mask in general is already doing your hair good, of course. But a simple way to one-up its effectiveness is by covering your hair with a hot towel while doing so. That’s because the heat and steam from the towel opens the cuticles of your hair, which then allows all the hair-boosting ingredients in your treatment to absorb better. “It also helps the mask make more direct contact with your scalp, making it more effective overall,” says celebrity hairstylist Kendall Dorsey, which means the mask-and-towel hack not only betters your hair’s health, but also makes sure any new growth is being taken care of from the very start of its journey. For extra-deep hydration, Dorsey says it’s best to leave your mask on for a total of

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October 28, 2019 at 05:00PM by CWC In its most straightforward form, gossip is simply talking about someone who isn’t present. It can happen through cupped hands into an ear, under industrial-strength blowdryers, via Slack at your office, or, really, in any number of other ways. But, fact remains that it certainly happens and nearly all people engage in it (or at least have done so in the past). But before you you bemoan the seedy nature of humanity given this reality, note that scientific research disagrees wit the dictionary’s negative-leaning specification that in order for material to be classified as gossip, it must be inclusive of sensational and/or highly personal facts. According to one extensive meta-analysis on gossip published in Social Psychology and Personality Science, gossip is often neutral or even positive, as in, not necessarily “reflecting badly on the target.” So, that’s good news, but I’m still left to wonder, Why do people gossip in the first place? “When it’s something light and fun, it can help people feel like they belong, because they share relationships, have shared experiences, and often shared values,” says clinical psychologist Aimee Daramus, PsyD. This explains why it’s so satisfying to dish with a colleague about two other co-workers who are probably-definitely dating—even if you have no personal connection to anyone involved. The act allows us to form memories (even if they’re micro in terms of depth and importance) with whomever we’re sharing the gossip, which in turn, fosters a sense of belonging.

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October 28, 2019 at 04:18PM by CWC Going to the gym, grabbing some weights, and ripping out your reps day after day is going to help you build up some serious muscles. There’s no doubt about it. But if you really want to up your game, there’s one easy tweak you can do during your workouts to ensure you’re getting the best possible results: watch the clock. Whether you’re working on toning your arms with a pair of dumbbells or using one of the many machines, the easiest way to make sure you’re getting the most out of your reps is making sure you’re not underdoing (or overdoing) your rest period between sets. While most people tend to take just a few seconds before busting out another set, Betina Gozo, Nike master trainer, says it’s actually better to give your body much longer than that. “It’s best to rest about one to two minutes between sets, maybe even three to five depending on how your body metabolizes carbs for food energy, how many reps you’re doing, and how heavy you’re lifting,” Gozo says. “When you’re strength training, your body is utilizing the ATP [adenosine triphosphate] created by the phosphocreatine system, and it uses phosphagens to give you energy and power your movements. When focusing on hypertrophy, one to two minutes is enough time for the phosphagen stores to replenish, and if you’re focusing on true strength with only one to three reps, your body will need a bit longer because

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October 28, 2019 at 04:00PM by CWC When I read headlines about 80-year-old World Record-breaking runners, I can’t help but worry that I’ll be nowhere near as physically capable when I’m that age. I’m not even close to breaking records 50 years prior to being in my 80s, unless they’re for the most consecutive hours spent typing words onto websites. I guess I feel vaguely “in shape,” but I’m not even really sure what that means. I pant on “hikes”, so like… Fortunately, “in shape” is definable, thanks to a concept known as the five components of fitness, which includes cardiovascular endurance, muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, and body composition. Unfortunately, based on the criteria set out by this measurement, I probably need to get my butt in gear if I want to so much as walk fast in my geriatric years. Below, Tony Carvajal, a CrossFit trainer with RSP Nutrition, describes each component’s features while providing tips for improving in each area. Never was there a better argument for workout cycling than this back-to-basics approach to fitness. 1. Cardiovascular endurance “Cardiovascular fitness is the ability of the heart and lungs to supply oxygen-rich blood to the working muscle tissues, and the ability of the muscles to use oxygen to produce energy for movement for a sustained duration,” Carvajal says. It’s pretty important when it comes to managing everyday activities, particularly from a longevity standpoint, even in a world where many of us have necessarily reduced the amount we physically

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October 28, 2019 at 03:37PM by CWC It’s your classic twenty-first century romance: Girl meets boy and falls in love. Girl “accidentally” stumbles upon some incriminating text messages on boy’s phone and dumps him. Girl decides to drastically change her hair. The “girl” in question here is, obviously, me. The year was 2015, I was reeling hard from the breakup, and decided to channel my ultimate celebrity #girlcrush—one Jennifer Lopez—to try and make myself feel better. She is a strong, independent woman, and I figured that emulating her would be the best way for me to feel that way, too. As a result, I listened to “I’m Gonna Be Alright,” on repeat and dyed my hair blonde. Until that summer, I’d been using the same reference photo for my cut and color since I was 18 (this one of Minka Kelly, ICYWW). I’d always had long, dark hair with the subtlest golden brown highlights a person could possibly get and still refer to their hair as “highlights.” Something about having my heart broken that particular time (it was not the first, and certainly not the last) made me want to do something completely different. Every person in my life told me that it probably wasn’t the best idea.  I have black, Oscar the Grouch-style eyebrows that, as I now know, don’t exactly pair well with lighter strands. Yet, I ignored them and booked an appointment at my mom’s salon in an all-but-abandoned strip mall. In retrospect, I probably should have known

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